The Light You Bring

~3~

Steve 

Natasha shoved the door open and dragged two men into the Burger King. I gave her a confused look when she stopped at our table. The black man blinked when he saw Sam before smiling and letting Sam hug him.

"I thought you had work tonight, honey." Sam said, smiling up at the black man.

"I just got off work for today."

Bucky made a face like uh-huh, you bastard, sure you did... and messed with the onions he so stubbornly picked out of his burger. I watched him, confused about why he had made that face in context to the black man.

Bucky looked up at me, adjusting his posture so he wasn't slumped over anymore. He regarded me calmly, his pale blue eyes studying me through his long, dark eyelashes and the stray strands of hair that hung in his face.

I stared steadily back at him, sitting up straight. I watched him through my floppy blonde hair and pale eyelashes. I could see myself reflected in Bucky's eyes. Bucky smiled when I blinked and muttered: "I win." I frowned in annoyance before realizing that he had just had an unannounced staring contest with me and then I started laughing, drawing everyone's attention to me.

Bucky grinned, looking pleased with himself. "Ya like that, punk?" Bucky asked, chuckling under his breath. I nodded, knowing my face was red from laughing so hard.

"What just happened?" asked a thin, pale-skinned brunette boy.

"I jus' had a staring contest with Steve here, Peter." Bucky replied before turning to the black guy who had Sam glommed onto him. "So, T'Challa,...you've got some explaining to do. You have been secretly dating Sam here? How come you didn't tell us about him? Nat told all of us when she hooked up with that guy from Olive Garden for a while. We all promised to tell the band when we have a romantic love interest. What gives, jackass?"

The guy who I assumed was called T'Challa bit his lip and frowned with his whole body. "I dunno, maybe I just wanted to keep something to myself for a change. You of all people should understand that, Barnes."

"What if I don't care what you think and found it out all by myself? I literally just did that. Sam here told me about you after I asked nicely if he had a boyfriend or girlfriend." Bucky gave T'Challa a heavy scowl as he gestured to Sam. Peter licked his lips, looking alarmed.

"Uh...g-guys I'm gonna to just go order us some food...come on, Steve and Nat. This is kinda between T'Challa, Sam, and Bucky. Let's go." Peter stuttered, gesturing in the direction of the front counter. I stood up. 

Wow, I'm actually taller than someone. Peter is a good three inches shorter than me. He looks pretty used to it though.

"So, I'm Steve and you are Peter, I guess?" I asked.

"Yeah, man, I'm Peter Parker. You must be the notorious Steve Rogers that Natasha is always making at least one reference to." Peter replied. "But to my friends, I'm just little Spidey. The fans of Warzone Secrets know me as Spiderman."

"That's cool. My bullies call me Captain America because of how I act all patriotic as they beat me up. Nat and my other friends all call me Cap." I laugh.

"As both of you know, I am Natasha Romanoff or Nat, also known as Black Widow." Natasha said, cuffing the back of our heads playfully. "It looks like the atmosphere over our table has simmered down. You guys go back, I'll order."

"Thanks, Nat." I said before wandering back to my table cautiously with Peter behind me. T'Challa was sitting where I had (looking irritated, obviously)and Bucky looked slightly triumphant. Sam was on T'Challa's lap and figiting uncomfortably under Bucky's pale, piercing gaze. I slipped into the booth next to Bucky to save Sam from Bucky's cold gaze.

Bucky smiled at me as I sat down. I smiled back. "So, I obviously saved Sam from breaking into pieces under your gaze. No need to thank me. As for me, I wouldn't want to get caught in that situation and I shall do my best to stay out of it." I said in a sarcastic tone, causing Bucky and Sam to start laughing hysterically. T'Challa smiled slightly when he realized that I, a skinny white boy, made Sam, his sturdy black boyfriend, laugh about something that wasn't racist in the least. Peter looked relieved that I had somehow managed to get our table's atmosphere to lighten up even further.

Nat came back with a bunch of burgers on a tray and plopped them down on the table, smiling with amusement as I joked around with Bucky, Sam, Peter, and even T'Challa.

"Hey, Cap. Good job getting T'Challa to actually act like a human with a good sense of humor. And thanks for becoming Peter and Bucky's new friend. Bucko and Spidey are practically walking memes, just like you." Nat said later that night when she was dropping me off at my apartment. I had gotten Bucky, T'Challa and Peter's phone numbers and put them in my phone contacts and created a group chat that I call "The Warzone Secrets and Cap". Needless to say, today has been...hectic? Maybe a little crazy. Definitely a good day though...

"Thanks, Nat, I tried so hard..." I say dryly. Nat burst into laughter and she grinned at me before waving goodbye as she walked away.